Home Minister Amit Shah speaks in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2025 on Immigration and Foreigners Bill
| Photo Credit: ANI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (March 27, 2025) claimed in the Lok Sabha that nearly 450 km border with Bangladesh has not been fenced yet due to appeasement politics of the Trinamool Congress government that is to facilitate “infiltrators.”
Mr. Shah stated that despite 10 letters by him and seven meetings of Union Home Secretary with the Chief Secretary, the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has stalled the land acquisition process for fencing along the Bangladesh borders. Mr. Shah was replying to the debate on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 which was passed by a voice vote in the Lok Sabha.
The Minister claimed that whenever the Border Security Force (BSF) undertook fencing work, the cadres of Trinamool obstructed the construction by “sloganeering and force.” The Minister said the illegal Bangladeshi nationals acquire Aadhaar and voter identity card from a particular district in West Bengal and come to Delhi armed with those documents posing as Indians.
“They (Opposition) said Rohingyas came to Delhi under our watch, but I want to tell you that earlier they used to come from Assam under the Congress rule, but now they are coming from Bengal. Who gives them Aadhaar, where have they become citizens? They have Aadhaar card of 24 Parganas district. They come to Delhi with the voter card you give them. Stop issuing them Aadhaar card. Elections are due in 2026. I can assure that lotus will bloom in Bengal,” Mr. Shah said.
Tamil refugees
The Minister while replying to a question raised by DMK Member Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on government’s policy regarding Tamil refugees said the government has not changed even a “full stop or comma in the policy as existed during the UPA government.”
He said DMK members met him on four different occasions, but none of them had ever raised the issue of Tamil refugees. “Now they are asking me to do something. Had they told us we would have certainly thought about it. The policy of our government on the Tamil refugees is the same as the policy that existed when they were part of the UPA government. We have kept it as it was. If they have any suggestions about that, even now they can certainly give them to us and we will consider”.
When another DMK member, T.R. Baalu interrupted stating that the previous regimes could be wrong in their policies, Mr. Shah replied, “So you agree that your policies were wrong. It is good that you admit it. If the DMK-supported government had done things right, then it would not have been our turn to do them.”
He said whoever wants to visit India as a tourist or for education, healthcare and business was welcome, but those who pose a threat to the country will be dealt with sternly. “I welcome everyone who wants to visit India as a tourist, for education, for health care, for R&D, for business. But those who pose a threat to the country, we will keep a close look at them and take strong action against them,” he said.
He said the proposed legislation will strengthen the country’s security, boost economy and business, besides encouraging the health and education sectors.
The Bill will ensure the country gets up-to-date information about every foreigner visiting India, he said.
According to the Bill, anyone found to be using a forged passport or visa for entering India or staying in or exiting from the country will be punishable with a jail term of up to seven years and a fine to the extent of ₹10 lakh.
The proposed legislation also provides for mandatory reporting of information about foreigners by hotels, universities, other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes to enable tracking of overstaying foreigners.
Matters relating to foreigners and immigration are presently administered through four legislations: Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000. All these laws are now proposed to be repealed.
The Minister said that Clause 3 of the Bill has the provision to bar entry to a foreigner. “This is not a dharamshala (guesthouse), not anyone can come here and live. Foreigners can enter only legally and if someone is a threat to national security, to stop them is our right,” he said.
He added that the Bill ensures legal back up for “black list” (of passengers barred from travelling abroad or entering India) maintained by immigration authorities. He said earlier recording of biometrics of foreigners did not have a constitutional backing, the Bill adds the provision.
Responding to remarks by the Opposition members that there was no way to appeal against an immigration officer’s order, Mr. Shah said, “The appeal system is not in the U.S, Germany, France etc. What appeal? Go to court. If someone is stopped (from entering the country) after deliberations by security agencies then court is the only option.”
Published – March 27, 2025 10:40 pm IST